Moistening device

ABSTRACT

An air moistening device, comprising a water delivering perforated pipe that is housed in a heat-exchanger of a thermofan unit, in a position corresponding to that of one of said heat-exchanger pipes.

United States Patent [191 Riello [451 Jan. 14,1975

[ MOISTENING DEVICE [75] Inventor: Valerio Giordano Riello, Legnago,

Italy [73] Assignee: Riello Condizionatori S.A.S. di

Giordano Riello & C., Bevilacqua, Verona, Italy [22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 314,276

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 11, 1971 Italy 32273/71 [52] US. Cl 165/60, 134/198, 165/19, 237/78, 261/152, 261/154, 261/156 [51] Int. Cl F24I 3/14 [58] Field of Search 165/60, 19, 20; 261/152, 261/153, 154, 156, 150; 237/78; 1381.4 1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,085,377 6/1937 Magney 165/20 2,123,742 7/1938 Offen 62/91 2,243,281 5/1941 Magney... 165/20 2,694,296 11/1954 Prosek 138/44 3,092,179 6/1963 Lauck.......... 165/60 3,169,575 2/1965 Engalitcheff 165/60 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 510,723 3/1939 Great Britain 62/314 Primary Examiner-Manuel A. Antonakas Assistant Examiner-Daniel J. OConnor Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichae1 S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT An air moistening device, comprising a water delivering perforated pipe that is housed in a heat-exchanger of a thermo-fan unit, in a position corresponding to that of one of said heat-exchanger pipes.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures MOISTENING DEVICE BACKGROUND This invention concerns an air moistening or humidifying device, particularly suitable for thermo-fan units, as e.g. appertaining to semi-centralized air conditioning plants for heating (or cooling) rooms by means of warm or cold water, but it is generally applicable to all thermo-fan units, wherein the air temperature can be modified by contacting the same with a heatexchanger, wherein water or any other fluid, kept at a suitable temperature, is circulated.

As already well known, under said conditions an air humidification is required in order to keep the air moisture contents at its best value.

The above purpose is usually attained by spraying atomized water in the air stream through suitable nozzles, in order to moisten said air by evaporated water. However, said devices show many drawbacks, as e.g. due to a water dispersion and a moistening of the equipment outer components, that results in undesirable consequences. Further, some structural and operational complications are always shown by'such equipments, according to their types.

SUMMARY An object of this invention is to provide a highly efficient, structurally simple and inexpensive air moistening device adapted to be associated to thermo-fan units. This invention is essentially characterized in that a water delivering means is provided within the heatexchanger of a thermo-fan unit, in a position similar to that which is usually taken or may be taken by one of said heat-exchanger pipes.

DRA WINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of a heat-exchanger in equipment embodying this invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the same heat-exchanger.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, a water delivering means is in the form of a perforated pipe 10, that is fitted within an equipment as will be stated more specifically later on. The water is fed by a piping 11, through an electromagnetic valve 12 and a pressure control device, generally indicated by 13. Said pressure control device essentially consists of a capillary tube having a crosssection and length that are calculated in such a manner as to give a required pressure drop, from a feeding pressure to a delivery pressure. The water is thus fed to said perforated pipe 10 through a connection 14.

Said pipe 10 is perforated as in 15 in order to cause the water to drop therefrom, said pipe being fitted within a heat-exchanger of a thermo-fan unit. Said heat-exchanger is in the form of a row of pipes 21, extending across a plurality of plates 22 that are fitted perpendicularly thereto, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. The elements 23 of FIG. 2 are return bends that establish a connection between single pipes 21 of heatexchanger to define a water or other heat exchanging medium path within the same heat-exchanger.

Said plates 22 comprise a seat 24 for said water delivering pipe 10 and said seat is wholly similar to the seats wherein said conventional heat-exchanger pipes 21 are housed. Thus, said delivering pipe 10 is substituted for one of said heat-exchanger pipes. As a matter of fact, no ill-effect results from said substitution, because a suitable place for said water delivering pipe 10 is usually left available when a plurality of said pipes 21 are series connected.

A remarkable advantage is then obtained, due to the fact that the water delivery occurs in the heatexchanger inside, and said water delivering means cannot be seen as an outwardly added device, but it is integral with the heat-exchanger. Thus, an efficient air moistening can be attained without any loss of water, by means of a highly unexpensive, simple and efficient device.

While one embodiment of this invention has been described, it is to be understood that said description is given for illustrative purposes only, and that many modifications may be made thereto.

I claim:

1. In a heat exchanger with a humidifier, a combination comprising support means comprising at least two spaced plates; a plurality of substantially parallel pipes connected in series to each other for passage of a heatexchange medium therethrough, said pipes extending between and being supported by said plates; a water delivery pipe formed with a plurality of perforations, said water delivery pipe being arranged substantially parallel to and betwen said plurality of pipes and being supported by at least one of said plates; means for feeding water into said water delivery pipe so that such water is sprayed through said perforations on at least some of said plurality of pipes; capillary tube means for controlling the amount of water fed into said water delivery pipe so that the moisture content of the ambient atmosphere is maintained at a predetermined value and valve means communicating with said capillary tube means. 

1. In a heat exchanger with a humidifier, a combination comprising support means comprising at least two spaced plates; a plurality of substantially parallel pipes connected in series to each other for passage of a heat-exchange medium therethrough, said pipes extending between and being supported by said plates; a water delivery pipe formed with a plurality of perforations, said water delivery pipe being arranged substantially parallel to and betwen said plurality of pipes and being supported by at least one of said plates; means for feeding water into said water delivery pipe so that such water is sprayed through said perforations on at least some of said plurality of pipes; capillary tube means for controlling the amount of water fed into said water delivery pipe so that the moisture content of the ambient atmosphere is maintained at a predetermined value and valve means communicating with said capillary tube means. 